High Resolution Radio Astronomy Using Very Long Baseline Interferometry

TL;DR

VLBI is a high-resolution radio astronomy technique that has advanced the study of various astronomical objects and astrometry, enabling discoveries that were previously impossible.

Contribution

The paper provides an overview of VLBI techniques and reviews recent scientific results achieved through VLBI observations across multiple fields.

Findings

Significant progress in VLBI applications over the last decade.

VLBI enables high-resolution imaging of diverse astronomical objects.

Recent VLBI results have advanced understanding in multiple astrophysical areas.

Abstract

Very Long Baseline Interferometry, or VLBI, is the observing technique yielding the highest-resolution images today. Whilst a traditionally large fraction of VLBI observations is concentrating on Active Galactic Nuclei, the number of observations concerned with other astronomical objects such as stars and masers, and with astrometric applications, is significant. In the last decade, much progress has been made in all of these fields. We give a brief introduction into the technique of radio interferometry, focussing on the particularities of VLBI observations, and review recent results which would not have been possible without VLBI observations.